Golf hole cup setter

ABSTRACT

A golf hole cup setter for inserting a cylindrical golf hole cup into a golf hole so that its longitudinal axis is in vertical alignment. The cup setter has a base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface. A cup insertion member extends downwardly from the lower surface of the base plate, and is configured to contact the upper rim of the cup. A level is attached to the base plate and is positioned to allow a user to step on the base plate without interference during cup insertion, and to determine whether the longitudinal axis of the golf hole cup inserted into the golf hole by the cup setter is in vertical alignment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cup setter device for setting a cupwithin a hole located on a golf course green.

Each green on a golf course has a single hole which is typically movedabout the green from time to time. Using a standard sized hole cutter acylindrical hole is cut through the turf and into the soil beneath it,and the cylindrical plug of earth formed by the hole cutter removed.After the hole is formed a metal or plastic cup of a standard size isinserted into the hole and pushed downwardly with a conventional cupsetter by using the foot and body weight of the user until the flange ofthe cup setter contacts the surface of the green. At the point where theflange of the cup setter contacts the surface of the green the top ofthe cup is one inch below the surface of the green, as prescribed byregulations. The bottom of the cup has a flagstick receptacle and theperson setting the cup judges whether the cup is properly set byinserting the flagstick into its receptacle within the cup and visuallydetermining if its longitudinal axis is vertical. If the flagstick isnot vertical the placement of the cup must be adjusted by partiallyremoving the cup, kicking it in the estimated direction to achievevertical placement, re-inserting the cup, re-checking the verticalalignment with a flagstaff, etc., which can be quite laborious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cup setter thatallows the user to insure that the cup being set in a golf hole will bepositioned to hold the longitudinal axis of a flagstick in verticalalignment.

The cup setter has a base plate having an upper surface and a lowersurface.

A cup insertion member extends downwardly from the lower surface of thebase plate, and is configured to contact the upper rim of a golf holecup.

A spirit level is attached to the base plate at a location that does notinterfere with a user standing on the base plate during cup insertion.The spirit level is positioned to allow a user to determine the verticalalignment of the longitudinal axis of the golf hole cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of the cup setter of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevation view of the cup setter;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the cup setter; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cup setter.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The cup setter 10 of the present invention includes a base plate 20having a circular, donut-shaped portion 22 and a cross member 24.Circular portion 22 has upper and lower surfaces.

Cross member 24 can be attached to circular portion 22 by any suitablemeans, such as welding, or can be formed integral there with by molding.The openings formed between cross member 24 and the inner circumferenceof donut-shaped portion of base plate 20 allows air to escape from thehole as the cup is being inserted. Alternatively, base plate 20 can be acircular disk with a plurality of openings in its central portion toallow air to escape.

Extending downwardly from the lower surface of circular portion 22 is acylindrical cup insertion member 30 having upper and lower cylindricalportions 32 and 34, respectively. The outer diameter of lowercylindrical portion 34 is selected to fit snugly inside a golf hole cup.The outer diameter of the upper cylindrical portion 32 is larger thanthe diameter of the lower cylindrical portion 34 and is selected to fitsnugly within the hole cut into the ground of the green removed toreceive the cup. The height of upper cylindrical portion 32 is one inch,the officially prescribed distance the top of a cup must be below thegreen surface. The ledge 36 formed at the juncture of upper and lowercylindrical portions 32 and 34 of cylindrical member 30 is configured tocontact the upper lip of the cup.

A level holder stanchion 40 is located adjacent the outer edge ofcircular portion 22 of base plate 20. Level holder stanchion 40 ispreferably an L-shaped member having a vertical leg 42 and a horizontalleg 44.

The major plane of vertical leg 42 is preferably substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of base plate 20.

The major plane of horizontal leg 44 is parallel to the plane of baseplate 20. Horizontal leg 44 has a downwardly depending level stop member48.

Horizontal leg 44 has a circular opening 46 for receiving a circulartype spirit level 50, also known as a “bulls eye” spirit level. Theinner end of level 50 abuts the upper portion of horizontal leg 44 andthe outer end abuts stop member 48. Circular level 50 has an upperdiameter 52 that is slightly less than the diameter of circular opening46 of horizontal leg 44 to form a snug fit therein. Circular level 50has a lower diameter 54 which is larger than the diameter of circularopening 46 of horizontal leg 44 to form a ledge which abuts against thelower surface of horizontal leg 44. Although a circular type spiritlevel 50 is preferred, other types and/or shapes of levels could beused.

A level latch member 56 is pivotally attached at its inner end to theupper portion of horizontal leg 44, and is removably attached at itsouter end to stop member 48 by any suitable means, such as threadedfastener 58. The top of latch member 56 abuts the bottom surface oflevel 50.

Level holder stanchion is configured to hold spirit level 50 in alocation that will not interfere with the placement of a user's boot onplate 20.

In use, a conventional golf green hole cutter is used to cut acylindrical hole through the turf and into the soil beneath it on a golfgreen in a manner well known in the art. The cylindrical plug of earthformed by the hole cutter is then removed.

A conventional golf hole cup is partially placed into the just-formedhole. The cup setter 10 is placed on top of the cup with the lowerportion 34 of cup insertion member 30 positioned inside the cup and theledge 36 formed between upper portion 32 and lower portion 34 beingplaced into abutment with the upper rim of the cup.

The user then steps onto the base plate 20 and pushes downwardly withhis/her body weight until the lower surface of circular portion 22 ofbase plate 20 comes into contact with the surface of the green. At thatpoint the user can determine if the longitudinal axis of the cup is in avertical position by reference to level 50 by reference to the bubble inspirit level 50. If not level, final leveling is accomplished by theuser simply pressing his/her foot on the appropriate side of plate 20 tocenter the bubble in level 50, thereby bringing the longitudinal axis ofthe cup into vertical alignment.

It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changesmay be made to the details of the above-described embodiments of thisinvention without departing from the underlying principles thereof. Thescope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only bythe following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A golf hole cup setter for inserting acylindrical golf hole cup into a golf hole, said golf hole cup having anupper rim and a longitudinal axis, comprising: a base plate having anupper surface and a lower surface; a cap insertion member extendingdownwardly from said lower surface of said base plate, said capinsertion member being configured to contact said upper rim of said cup;a stanchion located adjacent the outer edge of said base plate, saidstanchion having a vertical leg extending upwardly from the uppersurface of said base plate and a horizontal leg extending outwardly fromthe upper portion of said vertical leg; and a level attached to saidstanchion in a position that allows a user to step on the base platewithout interference therewith during cup insertion, and to determinewhether the longitudinal axis of the golf hole cup inserted into thegolf hole by the cup setter is in vertical alignment.
 2. The cup setterof claim 1 wherein said base plate is circular.
 3. The cup setter ofclaim 2 wherein said base plate has a plurality of openings in itscentral portion.
 4. The cup setter of claim 3 wherein said base plate isdonut-shaped and has a cross member extending between opposing sides. 5.The cup setter of claim 1 wherein said horizontal leg of said stanchionhas an opening extending there through, and said level is removablyattached within said opening.
 6. The cup setter of claim 5 wherein saidlevel is a circular type spirit level.